FERRULED LOOP SURGICAL FASTENERS, INSTRUMENTS, AND METHODS FOR MINIMALLY INVASIVE VASCULAR AND ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY

摘要

A surgical fastener (10) in the form of a ferrule loop (14), instrument and method are provided for constructing a graft to artery anastomosis and other soft tissue anastomoses, particularly by minimally invasive (or endoscopic) surgery. The ferrule loop fastener is comprised of a needle (12), a suture (16) and a ferrule (14). The needle and suture member allow this fastener to be sewn through, for example, a graft and artery to be joined. The ferrule member allows a ferrule loop to be formed without knotting the suture member, and that serves as a suture stitch to fasten the graft and artery together. The instrument holds the needle and ferrule at its distal end. Controls in the handle allow manipulation of the needle and controllable application of the fastener. The method employs the ferrule loop and instruments to join soft tissues and to construct graft to artery anastomoses.